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Article: First knight of the stage. (Henry Irving)
- Article from:
- Contemporary Review
- Article date:
- June 1, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 Contemporary Review Company Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A dozen years before, he had pooh-poohed the idea that he, let alone some other, lesser actor, should be knighted, explaining: 'Titles for painters (if you like) - they paint at home. For writers - they write at home. For musicians - they compose at home. But the actor acts in the sight of his audience - he wants a fair field and no favours. He acts among his colleagues, without whom he is powerless; and to give him some distinction in the playbill which others could not enjoy would be prejudicial to his success - and fatal, I believe, to his popularity'.
But by the start of 1895, he had changed his mind. He was Henry Irving - born John Henry Brodribb - who, ...